More Crazier Than Ever

October 12, 2024 ~ JodiLea

This world, people, and society around us have become crazier. I’m sure you have noticed how even I rant more than usual. Controlling myself gets tougher and tougher. Irritation and anger seem to be the more prevalent emotional atmospheres. Of course, this leads to more of the same, spreading rapidly.

I decided not to cave into this trend. I am not better than anybody else. True, I may be more stubborn than others, but it’s not about me at all. [It took years of therapy for me to finally get that fact: Everything is not about me.] That said, I am determined not to let anger take over my life.

It is difficult not to react when others around you respond poorly, especially during emotional conversations. Family gatherings often have these, and co-workers can ignite annoyance and eye-rolling. Today is domestic Friday, yet I am writing a blog post instead of scrubbing the shower and organizing the guest bedrooms. November is two months away; however, I, for once, would like to be organized and not just shove things under beds and in closets, which means I need to start doing it soon. I am doing this now because I plan on writing a draft novel in November.

For those new to Jodi Lea’s Place, I participate in the National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a.NaNoWriMo). This year, I am also doing the 60-day Challenge and attending novel prep sessions with the writers at Dabble (Dabble is a software company with a platform specifically for writers. These informal sessions are on Dabble’s YouTube Channel)

You do not have to use Dabble to join the NaNoWriMo community. To learn more about this annual shindig, click HERE. It’s Free, Fun, and a great excuse to sit down and write a bunch. 1,667 words a day will get you 50,000+ words. That equals a novel-sized work.
Alright, that’s enough of the plug for NaNoWriMo…

Since you know how I will spend my Oct/Nov, I will try to schedule some oldie-but-goodie posts from my archives so you won’t miss me too much. Feel free to send comments so I won’t miss YOU too much, OK?

TTFN

Been Here, Seen This!

September 10, 2024 ~ JodiLea ~ 1 Comment

Leakey’s Bookshop, located in the heart of Inverness, Scotland, is a true gem for bibliophiles. Housed in a former 18th-century Gaelic church, this unique bookshop is the largest second-hand bookstore in Scotland.

Established by Charles Leakey in 1979, the shop boasts an extensive collection of over 100,000 books, spanning two floors beneath a striking wood-burning stove that warms the space. The spiral staircase and original architectural features add to the shop’s distinct character, making it a must-visit for anyone exploring Inverness.

I came across this photo and blurb while browsing Facebook this morning. My jaw dropped in disbelief—not that this wonderful library existed, but that I could not prove I was there.

I took photos when I was in the British Isles—obviously not enough. My only defense is that I was so excited to be there (in Europe) that taking photos did not come up very often in my brain. This is a disturbing attribute for a tourist, but it also prevents me from having many pictures/videos of my grandchildren.

Not only was I at this bookstore, but I did not even purchase a book! My BFF would have loved a book from here. Maybe the store was closed at the time of our tour? That would be doubtful.

This is the photo I took in Inverness. Hubby took a couple for me, and sad to say, I spent an entire post griping about him.

I must have my head examined soon.

TTFN

And THEN…

September 5, 2024 ~ JodiLea

I don’t know why I am experiencing major CRAP this week. Crazy, Ridiculous, and Poposteruos (CRAP). Last week was OK. Except I could not log into my ISP to get my email. Every other computer/device in the house had no problems – only my desktop in my office ran into an “Access Denied” message. So, I could not log in to the Xfinity website. However, I had access to all my usual internet places. Only the Xfinity server had an issue with me. Total CRAP in this case because Xfinity assigns my IP address, etc.

I don’t expect most readers to understand what I’m talking about, and that’s OK. However, Xfinity doesn’t seem to know either, and it’s been a week now, and nothing has been done about it. This has forced me to rant. Customer Support could not help me. They suggested that I use my husband’s laptop to get my email.

Easy for them to say.

I expected to be on the phone all morning trying to get a technician to speak to me, but no. A more urgent screw-up became a priority. I spent yesterday trying to straighten out my hubby’s medications with our mail-order pharmacy. They did not process one of his heart med refills in time, so he ran out. I asked them to rush it, but that idea was beyond their comprehension. The meds would be shipped out on September 11. Period. If he needed the meds before then, have his doctor write an Rx to a local pharmacy.

I am still processing this advice when hubby gets a text from the mail-order pharmacy informing him that his meds are on hold because they will cost over $200. We know this already. Every time they get refilled, they are over $200. EVERY TIME.

And THEN, when I called to approve the order, I was informed that they had to talk to my husband to get his approval. I actually laughed out loud. My husband has never dealt with his meds or the pharmacy. He has a nurse/secretary to do all that for him. And why don’t you make him deal with it, you ask? Because my blood pressure is going up, and I am not the one with a heart problem. This kind of CRAP could head me in that direction, though. These people could turn me into a competitor of Bitter Ben’s.

It’s 10:30 a.m. now, and the morning is half over. My to-do list is 2.5 hours behind schedule. Should I move those tasks over to tomorrow morning? Should I do them now and postpone the afternoon stuff? I am unsure. So, I will do something entirely different for an hour and try to chill out.

I’m going to sew little blocks together and design my next quilt.

TTFN!